Program Assistant, Southern Asia Office and Ecumenical, Extended Close: May 15, 2025

GENERAL PURPOSE OF POSITION: Provide secretarial and administrative support to ensure the smooth functioning of the offices. The Program Assistant also serves as the coordinator of the Administrative Support Network and participates as part of the Administrative Support Network for communal support across the ministries as necessary.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Support for the Global Relations Minister, Southern Asia Office - 50% of time

• Prepare check/wire requests charging appropriate accounts and follow up on fund transmittals and ensure the receipt of the funds by the recipients through necessary correspondence.

• Keep track of scholarship applications, recipients, funding sources and awards, and follow up with the necessary correspondence as needed; prepare scholarship applications and reports.

• Keep track of project requests and funding; follow up with necessary correspondence in consultation with the Global Relations Minister; prepare summaries of the projects and reports as needed.

• Prepare, organize, and provide the necessary documents, contact information etc., to the Global Relations Minister for meetings, particularly out-of-town meetings, and partner visits.

• Keep computer and hard copy office files current and well organized for retrieval by the Southern Asia area office staff.

• Research various partner information, program, and finances, and find stories for the web.

• Help organize missionary budget, program budget.

• Maintain effective relationship and communication links within the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and with Missionaries and overseas partners.

• Prepare WOC, Genesis Grant, and other grant applications and reports.

  
  

Support for the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Minister and Manager – 50%

• Maintain Excel database of disbursements, income and balances for Ecumenical Relations budget, including delegate expenses and quarterly contributions (approximately $200,000 through annual budget and $150,000 in designated funds) and provide monthly Excel report for all accounts;

• Prepare check requests and reimbursements for delegates to ecumenical meetings;

• Process quarterly and annual ecumenical contributions;

• Assist in preparations for General Synod including arrangements for the Ecumenical and Interfaith Dinner and the display booth in the exhibit hall;

• Process registrations and all related arrangement for General Synod Ecumenical delegates;

• Create, modify and maintain constituency database for Ecumenical and Conference committees, commissions, dialogue teams, and volunteers;

  
  

Support for both offices

• Open, sort and prioritize regular mail and emails; screen visitors and telephone calls; provide general information regarding the work of the office.

• Respond to emails and other letters on own initiative when appropriate and/or as requested by supervisor.

• Keep track of donations and other funds coming in and going out, and maintain electronic bookkeeping with appropriate software program (e.g. Excel, Quick-books); provide up-to-date information to the supervisor when needed.

• Assist in the preparation of reports, meeting dockets, agendas, minutes, correspondence etc., researching information basic to them.

• Greet and escort missionaries, global partners, ecumenical and interfaith partners, and other guests during visits to Cleveland, assisting as necessary and appropriate; assist in the arrangements for related meetings and events as needed.

• Maintain up-to-date contact information and mailing list of partners, ecumenical and interfaith, missionaries and others as appropriate, using electronic database.

• Maintain financial reporting in Concur.

• Maintain and order supplies or resources as needed.

• Make travel arrangements as required.

• Assume other duties as assigned.